Button sewing machine



Jan. 20, 1942. H, PIKUL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSI ATTORNEYS Jan. 20, 1942.

J. H. PIKUL ET AL BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS:

ATTORNEYS Jan. 20, 1942. J. H. PIKUL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Shets-Sheet s ATTORNEYS- Jan. 20, 1942. J. H. PIKUL ETAL BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS.

ATTORNEYS- Jan. 20, 1942. l J. H. PlK UL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 29, 1942. 1 H, PlKUL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYEL Jan. 20, 1942. J. H. PIKUL ETAL BUTTON SEWING MACHINE l6 Shets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 5, 1938 ATTORNEYS Jan. 20, 1942. J H PlKUL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1958 l6 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEYS- 58.11.20, 1942. J; HPIKUL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan; 5, 1938 16 Sheets-SheetQ z 224 239 A'Ir-r4., viii 1 I INVENTORS New BY @LQJ c ATTORNEY Jan. 20, 1942. J. H. PIKUL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet l0 kwnw il WIIIIJI 5191.

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3 Z a I g 224 76 22 I v By 7M0 cw AT To R N Eye 1942- J. H. PlKUL- EI'AL 2,270,552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1958 16 Sheets-Shegt 12 INVENTORS:

ATTORNEYS- Jan. 20, 1942. H, PIKUL Em 2,270.552

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed m. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Shget 1s ATTO R'N 5Y5..-

Jan. 20, 1942. H, PIKUL ETAL 2,270,552

BUTTQN SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. '5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 1Q ATTO RN EYS Jan. 20, 1942. H, pm; E AL 2 2,270,552

- BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 INVENTORS I QM fin Gui. BY qw ATTORNEyS Jan. 20, 1942. P|kUL ETAL 2,27%552 BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 mwaa f 6& QM

m y ATTo RN Eys Patented Jan. 20, 1942 BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Joseph H. Pikul, Boston, Mass., and Samuel W. Avis, Providence, R. 1., assignors to The Reece Button Hole Machine Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application January 5, 1938, Serial No. 183,480 In Great Britain February 24, 1936 13 Claims.

.ent case is a continuation in part, and with respect to common subject matter, of our prior application filed September 30, 1936, Serial No.

In single needle machines for automatically sewing a four-hole button in one cycle of operation, the sewing through successive pairs of holes is necessarily continuous, that is to say, after the completion of a group of attaching stitches through one pair of holes the work is at once shifted to bring another pair of holes into position to receive attaching stitches, the operation of forming attaching stitches continuing without interruption until all have been completed through both pairs of holes, after which, in some instances, the thread has been secured by a tying or knotting stitch. In machines of this type as heretofore constructed and operated,

- when passing from one row of holes to another the thread is laid across the face of the button in an exposed position where it not only presents an unsightly appearance but is easily broken, in which event there'is nothing to prevent the unraveling of the stitches of the group first formed. Also, should the thread of the stitches of the second group formed be accidentally broken, the stitches of both groups are liable to unraveling, wholly or in part. In view of these difficulties, the type of single needle machine now generally in use is designed to sew the several groups of stitches through the respective pairs of holes in separate and distinct cycles of operation: in other words, in the use of such a machine, the machine is started and operated through a complete cycle to sew through one pair of holes a group of attaching stitches which may be completed by a tying stitch, after which the machine is brought to rest; the work clamp is then lifted to break the thread and is, shifted to bring the other pair of holes into sewing position; and the machine is again started to perform a second cycle of operations during which a second group of stitches is sewn through the second pair of holes. Such division of the complete sewing operation into two separate steps or cycles, between which the machine is stopped, the work clamp lifted, and the machine again started, is inconvenient, time-consuming, and generally unsatisfactory.

The present invention has for its object to provide an entirely automatic single needle button sewing machine which, having been set in operation, will, before being brought to rest, perform and complete all of the operations necessary to form two groups of attaching stitches through two pairs of holes in a button, each group being separate and distinct, each being completed by a tying stitch independently of the other, and the thread being automatically severed between groups, so that there is no exposed, unsightly and readily broken line of thread extending acrcssthe face of the-button between the rows of holes, and accidental breakage of the thread of the stitches of one group "will not meet the integrity and security 'of the stitches of the other.

The invention will best be understood from the following description of certain illustrative embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, these, however, having been chosen for purposes of exempliflcaton merely, as it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that said invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise embodied without departure from the spirit and scope thereof.

In said drawings:

, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the attachment of a four-hole button.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken substantially on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspective views of the loop deflector and cooperating thread cutter, respectively.

Fig. 7 is a plan view, partly in section on the line l-l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the lower needle bar guide carrier.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 99 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the looper operating mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a plan view, and V Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the maincam.

Fig. 13 is a section on the line |3l3, Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of the mechanism for controlling the looper mechanism in the formation of the tying stitch.

Figs. 15 and 16 are horizontal sections taken substantially on the lines i5-l5 and l6-i6 respectively, Fig. 1.

Figs. 17 and 18 are fragmentary detail views of partly broken away,

certain 01' the parts of the stop mechanism, showing them in different positions.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary detail view of certain of the parts in Fig. 3.

Figs. 20 and 21 are detail sections taken substantially on the lines 2820 and 2l-2l respectively, Fig. 15, showing the parts in different positions.

Figs. 22 to 27 are detail views, partly in section and partly in front elevation, of the stitchforming mechanism illustrating the operation during the attaching-stitch-forming cycle.

Figs. 28 and 29 are sections taken on the lines 28-28, Fig. 23, and 28-28, Fig. 24, respectively.

Figs. 30 to 36 are schematic views illustrating more in detail certain steps in the formation of the attaching stitches. Fig. 30 comprises, at the top, sectional perspective views of the thread clamp and take-up and front elevations of their respective cams, and, at the bottom, a fragmentary perspective view of the stitch-forming devices, showing the latter in the position corresponding to the positions of the thread clamp and take-up. Figs. 31 to 36 correspond to the bottom part of Fig. 30 and show the stitch-forming devices in different positions.

Figs. 37 to 44 are views similar to Figs. 22 to 2'7 illustrating the operation of the stitch-forming mechanism during the tying-stitch-forming cycle.

Figs. 45 to 49 are views similar to Fig. 30 iilustrating certain steps in the completion of the tying stitch of one group of stitches and the initiation of the second group.

Fig. 50 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the bed or horn in transverse section, illustrating a modified form of mechanism for operating the loop handling elements.

Fig. 51 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line Bi-Sl, Fig. 50.

Fig. 52 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section on the line 5252, Fig. 51.

Fig. 53 is a detail perspective view of the loop deflector employed in the modification shown in Figs. 50 to 52. I

For convenience the invention is herein illustrated in connection with a button sewing machine of the character shown and described in an application Serial No. 60,616, flled January 24, 1936, by Franklin A. Reece, and in order to make clear the purpose and operation of the mechanism to which the present invention relates, the general construction and operation of the machine of said application will be briefly outlined.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the frame or casing of the machine comprises a base or bed 18 and an overhanging head H supported therefrom by an upright housing portion 12 enclosing the prin cipal parts of the operating and controlling devices. For convenience of assembly and repair said frame or casing comprises two separable but normally connected main sections A and A2 and several attached minor parts all of which collectively afford the necessary enclosures, supports, bearings, etc., for the various moving parts.

The bed carries a work plate I8 upon which the fabric W to which the buttons are to be attached is supported and against which it is clamped by a presser foot I4 carrying a button clamp for holding the individual buttons B and positioning them for the operation of the sewing lnstrumentalities.

The main driving and controlling instrumentalities include a main power shaft 18 journalled in suitable hearings in the head H and to which power may be applied through a belt pulley 11 under the control of automatic stop mechanism hereinafter described; a vertical cam shaft I8 Joumalled in suitable bearings in the housing I2, driven through a worm 25 and worm gear 28 from the main shaft 18, and provided with suitable cams for controlling the movements of the several lnstrumentalities; and a horizontal looper shaft 18 joumalled in suitable bearings in the base I8 and operated and controlled from the cam shaft II.

The stitch-forming lnstrumentalities include an eye-pointed needle 80, carried by a needle bar 8| mounted for vertical or longitudinal reclprocation in the head H, and a pair of loopers 82 and 88 (Fig. 4) on a looper carrier 84 secured to thelooper shaft 18 adjacent its forward end. The sewing thread t is supplied to the needle 88 from a suitable source, not shown, through a tension device or thread clamp 85 and suitably arranged guides on the head and needle bar and shown, for example, at 88 and 81, under the control of a take-up 88 operated by a cam 422 on the shaft 18, all as hereinafter further explained.

The needle bar 8| is longitudinally reciprocated from the main shaft 18 by any suitable means, as, for example, a crank pin 88 carried by a disk 88 on said shaft and connected by suitable linkage 8| with a collar 82 on said needle bar, and is guided adjacent its upper end in a bearing 88 which, as shown, is carried by a flexible metallic disk 84 suitably clamped in a recess 88 in the upper end of the head 'I I. This mounting of the needle bar guide 88 is such as to permit the needle bar a limited universal swinging movement about the point of intersection of its axis with the plane of the disk 84. Adjacent its lower end the needle bar is guided in a bearing 88 similarly mounted by means of a disk 81 in a carrier member 88 mounted, as hereinafter described, for movement in a horizontal plane both laterally and longitudinally of the machine frame.

In attaching a four-hole button B, as shown in Fig. 2, the carrier 98 is oscillated laterally between successive descents of the needle 88 to cause said needle to pass alternately through the holes h. and M in the button, the looper carrier being at this time oscillated laterally by the shaft 18 to cause the loopers to cooperate with the needle, as hereinafter more fully explained, in the formation of stitches s passing through said holes. Thereafter the carrier 98 is shifted longitudinally, or in a direction fore and aft of the machine, tobring the needle into the plane of the holes b3 and M of the other pair, the looper shaft 19 with the looper carrier 84 and loopers 82 and 83 being similarly shifted to maintain the cooperative relationship of said loopers with the needle. Thereafter the sewing operations are repeated to form a second set of attaching stitches s2 passing through the holes 713 and M.

The carrier member 88 for the lower needle bar guide 98 is guided for longitudinal movement in a groove in the top of a head Hi8 (Figs. 1 and '7) having a shank or trunnion I01 received in a socket I08 in the bottom wall of the head 1| of the machine, whereby said head I08 is pivoted for oscillation about the axis of said shank. Said carrier 98 is, therefore, free to move longitudinally in the head I88 or to oscillate laterally with said head about the pivotal axis of the latter.

The carrier 88 is oscillated laterally about the axis of the pivot I81 to cause the'needle to pass alternately through the holes h, M or h3, 71.4, by mechanism more fully described in said Reece application. Generally speaking, said mechanism comprises a link II9 (Fig. 7) suitably connected at one end with the carrier and provided at the opposite end with a stud I28 received in an arcuate groove I2I in one arm of a lever I22 secured to an upright shaft I23 journalled in the casing. At its opposite end the lever I22 carries a pin I26 which engages a cam groove I21 in the upper face of a main cam I29 (see also Figs. 1, 3 and 11) fast on the vertical cam shaft 18. With this construction it will be seen that rotafected through a slip coupling or clutch I19 and tion of the cam I29 will cause the lever I22 to swing about the axis of the shaft I 23, and that this movement will be transmitted from said lever to the carrier 99 through the link H3.

The amplitude of the lateral vibration thus imparted to the carrier 98 will depend upon the point of engagement of the stud I28 with the groove I2I, and in order to permit this to be readily adjusted in accordance with the lateral spacing of the holes in the button, the link H3 is provided with a third stud I38 engaged by a fork I3I carried by a slide I32 guided for horizontal movement on the side wall of the head 1|.

The mechanism for moving the carrier 98 iongitudinally is likewise shown in Fig. 7 and comprises a link I46 having at its forward end a stud I41 received in a transverse groove or way I48 in the upper face of the'carrier 98 adjacent the rear end of the latter. The stud I41 also pivotally connects the link I46 with an arm I49 (see also Figs. 3 and on a vertical rock shaft I168 journalled in suitable hearings on the interior of the main casing. At its rear end the link I46 carries a stud I5I which engages a groove I52 in an arm I63 secured to a second vertical rock shaft I54. Adjacent its lower end the rock shaft I 54 has secured thereto an arm I66 having a bifurcated end between the branches of which is pivoted the end ofa link I66 having a slot I61 to receive a stud I69 (see also Fig. 1) depending from a bracket or interior frame member I59 within the main casing. The link I 58 is therefore, guided on the stud I58 by engagement of the latter with the slot I61 and is supported by a flange or head I68 (Fig. 3) on the lower end of the stud. The link I66 has secured thereto a pair of contact or cam follower blocks I6I embracing between them and cooperating with an edge cam I62 rotatably mounted on the stud I68 and the hub of which is provided with a spur gear I63 meshing with a pinion I64 on the lower end of the main cam shaft 18. The gear I63 and pinion I64 are of such sizes as to constitute two to one gearing between the cam I62 and the cam shaft 18, so that the cam I62 is rotated at one half the speed of the main cam I29. Accordingly; after one complete rotation of the cam I29 to cause thecamgroove I21 thereof to produce a predeterminednumber of lateral reciprocations of the needle bar to form, for example, the group of stitches s (Fig. 2), the cam I62 will cause the carrier 98 and needle bar to be shifted longitudinally of the machine in one direction, after which a second rotation of the cam I29 will cause the necessary number of lateral reciprocations to form the group of stitches s2, whereupon the cam I62 will return the carrier and needle bar to their original longitudinal positions.

The amplitude of the longitudinal or fore and aft movement of the carrier 98 and needle bar 8| is determined by the position of the stud I5I in the groove I52 of the arm I53, and, in order that this may be conveniently adjusted in ac- I88 (Fig. 10) and suitable connections including a link I98 (Figs. 1 and 3) provided with a. transverse stud I9I the inwardly projecting end of which is received in an arcuate groove I92 (see also Fig. 10) in one end of a lever I93 fulcrumed at its opposite end on a stud I94 projecting inwardly from the side wall of the housing 12. Intermediate its ends the lever I93 carries a pin I95 engaging a cam groove I91 formed in the side or periphery of the main cam I29. The groove I91 corresponds to the groove I 21, that is to say, the number and timing of the oscillations of the looper shaft 19 produced by the v former correspond to the number and timing of the lateral oscillations of the needle produced by the latter. The amplitude of oscillation of the looper shaft 19 depends upon the position of thestud I9I in the groove I92 of the lever I93, and in order that this position may be suitably adjusted concurrently with the adjustment of the position of the stud I28 in the groove I2I of the lever I22, the slide I32 (Figs. 1, 3 and '7) by which the latter stud is adjusted is provided with 9. depending flange 282 having a slot 283 to reieilve the outwardly projecting end of the pin When the needle bar carrier 98 is shifted longitudinally, or in a direction fore and aft of the machine, in order to transfer the operation of the needle from the plane of one pair of holes, for example, the holes M, 712, vto the plane of another pair, for example, the holes h3, 714, the looper shaft 19 must be likewise shifted longitudinally to maintain the proper cooperative relationship of the loopers to the needle. This is effected by the vertical rock shaft I68 (Figs. 3, 7 and 10) whose arm I49 i connected with the link I48 by the pin I41. to its lower end a second arm 284 (see also Fig. 1) connected by a link 288 with a fork 288 through openings in the arms of which the looper shaft 19 extends, and whose arms embrace a collar 281 secured to said looper shaft, whereby when the carrier 98 is shifted longitudinally by the lever I53 acting through the link I46, the shaft 19 will be correspondingly shifted longitudinally. It will be noted that the length of the arm 284 isgreater than that of the arm I49 to compensate for the difference in distance from the pivotal center of the needle bar guide 93, of the shaft 19 and needle bar carrier 98, respectively.

The main cam I29 makes one complete rotation for each group of stitches s and s2, and the number of stitches of each group depends upon the shape of the cam grooves I21 and I91. Referring to Fig. 11, the cam groove I21 is formed with five radially offset portions, adapted to produce five complete lateral reciprocations of the needle in synchronism with the vertical reciprocations thereof, and with a concentric portion 23I during which the needle is caused to make two descentsthrough the same hole in the button in order to form a knot or tying stitch, as hereinafter further explained, it being understood that the groove I91 is correspondingly formed to produce th requisite cooperative os- This rock shaft has secured cillatory movements 'of the looper. Consequenthr, each group of stitches will comprise ten attaching stitches and a tying stitch, the whole group requiring twelve vertical reciprocations of the needle.

The belt pulley 11 (Fig. 1) is loose on the shaft 18 and is adapted to be clutched thereto by a combined clutch and stop mechanism which as herein shown is similar to those shown and described in the patents to Mello, No. 1,227,643, May 29, 1917, and Reece No. 1,730,014, October 1, 1929. Referring to Figs. 17 and 19 to 21, said mechanism includes a ring 218 carried by the pulley 11 and having a pin 211 which projects through a slot 218 in said pulley and is engaged by a spring 219 located in a recess in said pulley, whereby said ring is permitted a limited yielding angular movement with respect to the pulley, in order to cushion the shock of starting. The ring 218 has a shoulder 288 adapted to be engaged by a clutch dog 281 pivoted at 288 to a hub 282 keyed to the shaft 18 and normally urged into engagement with said shoulder by a spring 283 connecting said dog with an arm 284 fixed to said hub. The dog 281 is formed with a stop arm 285 adapted, when the connected parts are rotated in the direction of the arrows on Figs. 19 to 21, to engage a head 281 yieldingly mounted by means of a spring 288 in the end of a stop arm 289 when the latter is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 17, thereby disengaging the dog 281 from the shoulder 288 as shown in Fig. 20, and stopping the rotation of the shaft 18, the shock of stopping being cushioned by the spring 288. Recoil of the shaft under the influence of the spring 288 is prevented by a pawl 288 normally urged into a position to be engaged by a shoulder 291 on the hub 282 by means of a spring 292. The arm 289i is formed with a cam surface 293 which cooperates with a plunger 294 slidably mounted in the frame and engaging the pawl 298. The arrangement of the parts is such that, when the stop arm 289 is in the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 17, the head 281 is out of the path of movement of the arm 285 of the dog 281, permitting the latter, under the influence of the spring 283, to engage the shoulder 288, as shown in Fig. 21, thereby connecting the pulley 11 and hub 282 for rotation in unison in the direction of the arrows. The cam surface 293 at the same time act through the plunger 294 to hold the pawl 298 in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 21. When the stop arm 289 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 17, the head 281 will be engaged by the stop arm 285 to disconnect the parts and stop the machine, as above described. The cam surface 293 at this time permits the plunger 294 to be forced back by the spring 292, thereby permitting said spring to move the pawl 298 into operative position for engagement by the shoulder 291, as shown in Fig. 19.

The stop arm 289 is secured, as by a set screw 381, (Fig. 19), to a rock shaft 385 journalled in the frame and having secured thereto at the exterior of the casing an arm 388 (Figs. 1, 15 and 16) connected by a chain 295 (Fig. 1) with a suitable treadle (not shown), said arm being preferably provided with a spring pressed positioning plunger 298 adapted to engage either one of the two recesses or depressions 291 (Figs. 1

. and 16) in the outer wall of the casing, thereby releasably retaining the stop arm 289 in either of the two positions shown in Fig. 17. To start the machine, the treadle is depressed. thereby rocking the shaft 385 in the direction to move the stop arm 289 into the position shown in dotand-dashlines in Fig. 17. The machine having been started will continue to operate until automatically stopped. For this purpose the following mechanism is provided:

Secured, as by a set screw 388 (Fig. 19), to the inner end of the rock shaft 385 is an arm 298 (see also Figs. 16 and 18) having a bifurcated end between the bifurcations of which is pivoted a bunter 299 having a bevelled free end 388 (Fig. 16) adapted, when said bunter is in the elevated position shown in Fig. 17 to be engaged by a stud 381 (Figs. 11, 12, 16 and 18) projecting from the underside of the main cam 129 when the latter reaches an angular position corresponding to the completion of a group of stitches of the number determined by the shape of the cam grooves 121 and 191. Such engagement of the end 388 of the bunter 299 by the stud 381 causes said bunter to be forced toward the right in Fig. 17, thereby rocking the shaft 385 in a clockwise direction and moving the stop arm 289 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 17 to disengage the clutch and stop the machine. The stud 381 is preferably notched, as indicated at 382 in Fig. 11, so that the slight overthrow of the parts incidental to stopping the machine will bring said notch opposite the end of the bunter 299 (Fig. 16) in order to permit the machine to be again started by operation of the treadle.

The bunter 299 is normally drawn by a spring 384 into the inoperative position shown in Fig. 18 out of the path of movement of the stud 381. thereby permitting the continued operation of the machine after one complete rotation of the cam 129, until raised into its operative position by the following mechanism: Pivoted as at 389 (Figs. 17 and 18) to the frame member 159 is a bell crank lever having one arm 318 in engagement with a vertically sliding plunger 31 1 guided in said frame member and adapted, when raised. to lift the bunter 299 from the inoperative position shown in Fig. 18 into the operative position shown in Fig. 17. The other arm 312 of said bell crank lever engages a cam or eccentric 313 formed on' the hub of the gear 163 and cam 182. The cam and gear assembly 182, 163, 313 makes one complete rotation to two completed rotations of the cam shaft 18 and main earn 129. and the eccentric 313 is so arranged that at the completion of one rotation of the cam 129 the bell crank 318, 312 and plunger 311 will be in the positions shown in Fig. 18, but at the completion of a second rotation of the cam 129 said parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 17, thereby lifting the bunter 299 into operative position and caus ing the stopping of the machine upon the completion of said second rotation.

Referring to Figs. 1, 30 and 45 to 49, the tension device comprises two oppositely dished resilient disks 358 and 351 mounted on a rod 352 guided for longitudinal movement in a bushing 353 having an enlarged and recessed upper end upon which the lower disk 358 is supported, said bushing being in threaded engagement with the top of the head 11, whereby its vertical position thereon can be adjusted, and being secured in adjusted position in the latter by a lock nut 354. At its upper end the rod 352 is formed with a head 355 between which and the upperdisk 351 is interposed a spring 355. Intermediate its ends, between the dished portions of the disks 358 and 351, the rod 352 is formed with an enlargement 

